i love the extra hp of the 2.4 but have heard so many horror stories from people who bought one ...and a couple days later it throws a rod, spins a bearing, and so on
Is there anyway when checking out a z24 .... i mean i know its just a matter of time before it happens but is there anyway to gauge how long i have to enjoy the performance of dohc before it dies?
Make sure you know the history. If it was maintained down to a tee, then it should be good. Lower miles is also a plus and knowing if it was abused it's entire life helps. It is almost impossible to "gauge" the life of any motor. You could tear it down piece by piece and check to make sure everything is within tolerance, but even that is not a bulletproof solution.
I check the opil to see what it looks like, I listen closely to the motor (with the hood open) and lightly reving it.
This coming from a guy who has a lot of experience with 2.4's, so I feel I have a good feel for them.
FU Tuning
I had a very healthy 2.4 spin a rod because of a bad oil pump.
"Oil Leak ? What oil Leak ? Oh, Thats Just The Sweat From All The HorsePower!!"
Just like any vehicle..Look, listen, and feel.
The 2.4 got a bad wrap from mostly poor maintaince (I own 2 cars with 2.4Ls in them, one at 142K miles and the other is well over 200K). Any engine can fall victim to issues. I currently have a 02 J with an Eco in my garage and the alignment tabs on the intake cam gear sheared off causing the intake cam to not spin. It can happen to any engine.
oil issues abound so it will happen, but it is what it is. get the car and if it gives you sass get another engine not the end of the world. if you can swap the 2.3 oiling system and be trouble free
buy the car ans swap the motor while it runs then sell the 2.4 to one of those guys stuck in the 80s and make a couple hundred off it
JBO since July 30, 2001
^Says the guy who is stuck in the 60's.
Seriously, it all begins with a proper break-in when the engine was brand-new. You do that, and any engine will return the favor. That being said, on the 2.4L if you did a proper break-in, there is less of a chance of chance of the engine eating the oil down the line. Do a proper maintenance with a reputable oil filter and oil and top off oil level and you're golden in the 2.4L.
What happens a lot, is people just put in 4qrts of oil (per GM) when it requires 4.5 qrts, then those same engines tends to sip oil and that inadequate 4.0 qrts become 3.7, 3.5, 3.2, 3.0, and so forth. Some do not check the oil level and down it goes. Some do not change the oil at 3K miles like GM's engineers design the engine to run with, so combine that with the downward oil level and then you hear the stories. And of course it is always the car's fault, never the owner(s).
Now being that these engine are not new any more, like all the engines in J, I would be weary of buying from a unknown person. But that goes with out saying with every car that is used. Personally, I think it is a gamble unless the previous owner was grandpa and was responsible with the maintenance.
Now I have a 2.4L and the engine does not drink oil, I use mostly 10W30 Pennzoil Synthetic & Delco filters. And i do check the oil every 3 weeks. Now the only time I saw the oil level went down on my car, I was using Royal Purple, needless to say that was it for that oil.
Best of luck on your decision.
>>>For Sale? Clicky!<<<
-----The orginal Mr.Goodwrench on the JBO since 11/99-----
60s was a good time to bad i missed out. hey even 60s technology is bullet proff 20 years later they could have built onto it to make a super engine. whats sick is what replaced the 60s engine. the timing chain streching 3.6L
JBO since July 30, 2001
